Thefts of car spare parts are on the rise in France.
One brand and one accessory particularly attract criminals.
Watch this investigation from the TF1 news in Marseille.
Follow the full coverage
The 1 p.m.
“They took the entire front: the bumper, the grille, the two optics, two headlights (…) and the two wheels on the left side.” Emma, who testifies in the TF1 report above, still can’t believe it. This resident of Bouches-du-Rhône saw her car dismantled piece by piece in the parking lot of her residence. In the department, such thefts are increasing, with an increase of 11% this year. And a very clear preference for certain equipment and certain models.
Recently, Renault reversing cameras have become the most sought-after. As Michèle, who lives in Marseille, tells us: “It was stolen from me the first time. As soon as I had it replaced, it was stolen a second time. So I no longer have a rear-view camera. I’m resigned, I’m not installing one anymore,” she laments in front of her Clio. And yet, the car was parked in full view of everyone on a street in the city centre, just like her husband’s Mégane, also a victim of this trafficking. “The day after my camera was stolen, the camera on the second car was also stolen…” she laments. Same observation on her neighbor’s Clio: “Same, his camera was stolen”.
Parts resold on the internet at knockdown prices
Thefts of rear Renault car logos, which incorporate the reversing camera, have been increasing in several regions of France in recent weeks. “According to the Renault Lyon-Sud garage, 22 vehicles have recently been victims of the theft of this part”indicated for example in July the magazine Autoplus. While France-Bleu, also at the beginning of the summer, reported“around thirty complaints filed at the Béziers police station since the beginning of June following a resurgence in thefts of reversing cameras on several Renault vehicle models”. “Aude is also affectedadded the radio website. Around thirty complaints have also been filed in Narbonne.
Why such a craze for this accessory? These parts are out of stock in official dealerships and when they are stolen, they are very easily found on the internet at knockdown prices, for 30 euros compared to around 200 euros new. Some sellers sometimes have dozens of ads in their name.
To get to the bottom of it, in its report, our team decides to make an appointment with one of them on discreet camera. The man on the scooter is holding the famous logo integrating the rear view camera in his hands, but he has no proof of purchase. “Do you want me to show you proof of sale?”he says. And adds, straight in his boots: “Don’t look on Leboncoin. On Leboncoin, there is no proof of purchase. I bought it from an acquaintance of mine.”.
This underground trade is of course damaging to professionals. Denis Bortogliero, a spare parts seller in Marseille who sources his supplies from car dealerships, has seen the market transform in recent years. “Now, someone who wants coins, they go to Leboncoin and they find some. They don’t want to pay people anymore with all this traffic there is,” he believes. Thieves often work for organized networks, sometimes at the request of certain fraudulent garages.
In Vitrolles, a town 30 kilometres from Marseille, a police unit made up of around ten officers was created specifically to combat this scourge just two months ago. “We have more than twelve people who have been arrested, four illegal garages which have been found”, explains Commissioner Christophe Haget. Similar units could be created soon in other cities in France.
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In the meantime, be aware that some auto insurance policies can cover damage to various equipment placed on and in the vehicle. “This could be the car radio, the GPS driving system, the rims or the reversing camera. The option offered by insurers is called ‘equipment and accessories guarantee’. It is most frequently included in comprehensive insurance contracts, provided that the reversing camera installed is duly approved”, underlines the Carglass website.
